The Inkantation - A Short Story
by Denizen of Dreamland
Summary: "Remember what I said just now about… not knowing what'll happen and not knowing whether we'll make it out alive or not? Well… I'm afraid of what's coming. It's dangerous out there, Delphi, and I want you to be safe. I want us to reach the surface together."


Delphi slipped on her gray hoodie over the old cap she had inherited from her older brother, trying to hide her eyes as much as she could without blocking her eyesight. She placed her hands inside her pockets. It was cold, way too cold to be wearing shorts, but she knew that, if, by any chance, she was forced to run, her legwear would help her mobility. She shivered and bit her lips, as she did her best to remain as calm as she could. Closing her eyes, she breathed in and out to control her emotions. However, this didn't last long. Staying in one place and in this situation was dangerous, and she had to be in high alert at all moments for the journey she was about to embark in.

It was dark outside, like every night in Octo Canyon. Far in the distance, the sound of one drop falling after another echoed through the depths, and whether it was a drop of water from a broken pipeline or some mysterious substance flowing from a testing lab, no one could know. There were rumors, in fact, of Octolings being kidnapped or intercepted in their escapes and being taken to testing facilities to be treated like guinea pigs. Of course, these were mere rumors and there was no way of proving them. The only thing that was certain was that, if anyone was caught plotting against the tyranny or trying to escape, they never came back.

As she walked away from her childhood home, Delphi shuddered. She was taking a huge risk by following through with this plan, but she was willing to take it. Chances were that she and Leander would never make it out, but, if they did, to say that her whole world would turn around was an understatement. She didn't know what would they find once they got out, what to expect, or what would they do, but there was no choice. They had to get to the surface, as unknown to them as it might've been. After all, if something was certain was that everything would be better up there, that they would find a new life full of opportunities, and that nothing could be worse than what they were living right now. However, whether they finally got to the surface or not, whether they were killed on the way, experimented upon, or caught and incarcerated, Delphi would never return to her homeland. She would never get to see her family or friends again. That hurt her more than anything else.

Strutting forward, without looking back, Delphi let out a strained sigh. Her legs had warmed up a little, but she was still freezing and struggling to keep up the pace. She breathed in sharply and forced herself to walk more energetically. After all, if they wanted to be successful, she and Leander would have to be at the surface by sunrise. If no surprises or unexpected situations arose, it shouldn't be too hard, since the safest route had long been planned and memorized. Just because it was the safest, it didn't mean that it was completely safe, but it still guaranteed some security. Thanks to it, Delphi swiftly dodged guards she had never seen, recognized useful hiding spots she could use in case of an emergency, and went unnoticed by turning at the right corners, walking where it was darker, and not making a single sound.

Careful not to be spotted, to the point of having to wait in a puddle of ink for fifteen minutes, Delphi had arrived to the first crucial point in her path. Slumped against the wall, there was a tall sea urchin with less spikes on his head than it was usual. Wearing ragged pants, a discolored shirt, and a worn-out brown jacket, the sea urchin was holding a metal can in one hand. He was sitting on top of a cheap mattress, and it looked like he had been sitting there for hours. The air around this place was suddenly so dense, hot, and humid, that it sticked to Delphi's skin like grease covering her whole body. A few seconds ago it had been stinging cold, so the only explanation to that heat coming out of nowhere was some heavy machinery right next to the sea urchin. Whatever that mechanism was meant for was a mystery, but not one Delphi was interested in right now. There was no time for distractions.

Delphi looked away from the sea urchin without slowing down. She casually strolled forward, as he waved the can towards her in what wasn't anything more than a act simulating a beggar. She was waiting for a signal, a very specific one, but if she walked past the sea urchin before she heard what she was expecting, then she would have to assume that he was the wrong guy, and she would have to keep walking forward and forget all of it. However, a deep, coarse voice that sounded older than the sea urchin looked broke the silence.

"Dear stranger, I must ask," He said, looking up gloomily and speaking softly as if he feared being heard. "Is there a life outside of the gutters?"

Delphi stopped in her tracks and looked over both of her shoulders. She turned around, started fanning her face with her left hand, and smiled as she remembered the lyrics of that enchanting song.

"One where you walk free and speak without fear." She said. Delphi approached the sea urchin step by step, leaning over him to be as secretive as she could. She would've asked for his name, but in the world of the black market, names were sacred. "Hi. Do you have it?"

"Hmph." The sea urchin fidgeted, before reaching for a black plastic bag, similar to those used for trash cans, that was hidden behind him. He placed it on his lap, seemingly taking his time. One of his hands sank down to the bottom of the bag, emerging back up along with an Octo Shot.

Delphi took the gun with both hands, getting a hang of its weight and the way it felt. She had seen better Octo Shots, certainly, but this sample was still a fine weapon. If anything, it seemed to work at first sight, so it would help her on her way. Delphi looked at the Octo Shot from different perspectives, but in the dark she couldn't see any flaws or red flags. That would have to do.

"A friend managed to smuggle that for me. Hard to get my hands on a working gun nowadays. Especially with all those Inkling weapons going 'round. Soldiers easily recognize those. So?"

Delphi let some air enter her lungs. She was choking in the heavy atmosphere, since it was getting harder to breathe every second. She took her hand towards her chest and gently touched her neck, feeling for a valuable necklace that had accompanied her since birth. Once she found it, she carefully took it off with her free hand and laid her eyes on it, fully knowing that it was unlikely that she would ever see it again. It was a golden necklace, with a large, vibrant green emerald hanging from it. It was her most treasured possession, but it was the only one she had left too, and the easiest one to carry around without being noticed. Giving it up would've been unimaginable in any other situation, but it was her only choice if she wanted to make it safe and sound to the surface.

"Here." She said, handing the necklace over. "My mom gave it to me. She said it would help me when I needed it the most, and I feel like… I feel like that moment is now. I'm sure it's priceless."

"That's what they all say." The sea urchin grumbled, but he still took the necklace without even trying to hide the excitement in his eyes. He tapped the gem against the floor a few times, presumably to test whether it was real or not. "Hmph, this will fetch a good amount of money for sure. The upper classes always buy beautiful things for way more than they are worth. Those corrupt bastards… DJ Octavio has all of them wrapped around his tentacle with his darn music."

Delphi opened her mouth to say something, but she stopped herself to avoid doing something stupid. Underground, ideologies were subjected to a sort of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy, because even saying a word against the system would put your life on the line. As much as she hated DJ Octavio and the awful mind control that he inflicted upon every innocent Octoling in Octo Canyon, not speaking her mind might give her an advantage if she ever were to be caught. Although nothing would probably save her from a harsh punishment if she were to be found, she could at least hope. Besides, there was no use in complaining, especially not now when she was on her way to the surface.

The sea urchin raised the necklace towards Delphi, before placing it inside the bag. "Thank you. Good l— Er, thanks."

It was safe to assume that he was going to say 'good luck', but he decided not to once he realized that the chances of her making it out were slim. This mission could either go very well or very badly. Even though there were many stories of Octolings making it out safely, no one in Octo Canyon could prove they were either true or false. They might as well be just rumors that gave false hope to desperate souls like Delphi. Yet, those stories were their only parting point, aside from that magical song that, at the end of the day, was simply a charming melody. As wonderful and refreshing as it was, it didn't contain much information on how to get to the surface and attain freedom.

Delphi sighed, once again fighting against the heavy atmosphere, and gave her new Octo Shot another look. She then inclined her head towards the sea urchin, in acknowledgement of his thanks, and resumed her walk. The path became more dangerous from that point onwards, as there were Octarians hiding behind every wall and even trained Octolings appeared from dark alleys every once in a while. However, Delphi felt confident with an Octo Shot in her hands, since she had fought for the Octarian army for at least eight years. Many an Inkling died at her fine managing of the gun, some being splatted in under five seconds. She now wished she hadn't splatted those Inklings, but if she had known at the time what she was doing, or what DJ Octavio was doing, for that matter, then she would've turned around to splat fellow Octolings like her. She knew that they were innocent though, and they couldn't be blamed because they had been brainwashed by that cursed music, but there was no other way to weaken their commander. Many Octolings had come to believe that DJ Octavio was invincible, since he would always come back, and he was in control once again even after being defeated by the New Squidbeak Splatoon twice.

Anyways, there was no use thinking about what ifs. The tyranny might've robbed Delphi of her past, but it wouldn't stop her from taking control of her future. No matter how scared she was or how wrong she felt at having to point weapons at frightened Octarians, she had to move forward. She hid in her ink as much as she could to avoid having to fight, but when an undeling was in her way, or spotted her against her will, she was forced to go out there and splat them before they could tell on her. Thankfully, it hadn't been necessary to fight Octolings yet.

Delphi went through an iron door and arrived to an open, dome-shaped room were she was destined to meet with Leander. Inside, the loud echoes of her own steps returned to her when she walked, but aside from that, the room was so silent that it almost hurt her ears. Not a single sea snail stirred, and it would've looked as if the dome had been abandoned for ages, if it weren't because most places in Octo Canyon looked like that. The atmosphere here was neither too cold nor too hot, and it was just perfect as a safe spot were Delphi could rest for a few minutes. It was strange to see such an advantageous spot being forgotten by the authorities.

There was a nice little area where the wall protruded that had the right size to be used as a seat. Delphi sat there, placing the Octo Shot on her lap. Even when she tried to rest, she still took precautions, as there was a door right next to where she was sitting, just in case she needed to make a quick escape. She didn't look down either, as she had to stay alert in case either Leander or any enemies arrived.

After three minutes, Leander still hadn't showed up, and Delphi started to worry. He wouldn't betray her and their plan, for he was a loyal friend and companion, but there was no reason for him to be late unless there had been an accident. Of course, only three minutes had passed, but their schedule was tight and they had to get going. Another possibility was that Leander had arrived earlier than her, but he had gotten tired of waiting and had left without her. However, Delphi was certain that Leander would never do that to her. She shuddered. The only explanation was that something unexpected had happened. If he had been caught in the way, he could have been incarcerated, kidnapped, or even killed by now, or he could be suffering in one of those rumored testing labs.

Her heart racing and her breathing quickening, Delphi gulped. If her best friend and travelling companion had been captured, there was no doubt that she would soon follow suit. Even if, by any miracle, she wasn't caught, she didn't want to make it to the surface all on her own. Leander was more than an ally, he was her support and her confidant. She knew she could trust him for anything and, after all, he had been the one who had motivated her to follow her dream of going to the surface. He couldn't have been captured. He had to be okay.

The thundering noise of the iron doors crashing open bolted Delphi out of her daydreams. She jumped out of her seat, securing the Octo Shot in between her hands, as she spotted three Octolings, each with her own weapon, bursting into the room at the same time. They were all wearing the signature red pair of glasses that members of the Octarian Army commonly wore, and they stood in an arc, pointing their guns at Delphi. Any other Octoling might've dropped the Octo Shot and raised their hands in the air to plead for their lives, but, ever since she had heard the Inkantation, Delphi had been different. She instead frowned and reaffirmed her grip on her weapon, pointing it daringly at the Octoling right in front of her. She was surrounded, of course, but she wouldn't give up without a fight.

"Halt!" One of the Octolings, the one that seemed like she was ranked higher, barked. "Drop the weapon. You're arrested on charges of high treason, weapon smuggling, scamming, plotting against the order of society, conspiring with the enemy, exercising as a spy for the New Squidbeak Splatoon, non compliance with authorities, brainwashing our youth, corruption, theft, and cold-blooded murder."

Most of those had been made up. They always were. The soldiers of the Octarian Army discovered someone who wanted to escape or who disagreed with DJ Octavio, cornered them, attributed them a mixture of real and fake crimes, and arrested them, presumably to imprison them, execute them, or force them to partake in the experiments of those supposed secret labs. Most scandals were silenced, and many Octolings simply disappeared without a trace, but when a famous Octarian or a powerful commander went missing, they were always labeled as traitors, deserters, or spies. Everyone knew their name, but nobody knew what had been their fate.

"Drop. The. Weapon. This is your last warning."

Delphi, on the other hand, was a nobody. Whether she got to the surface or she suffered any other destiny, no one in Octo Canyon would remember her or let alone miss her. In fact, her friends and family would likely be brainwashed into forgetting her existence or believing that she was evil and her departure was for the best. Delphi sighed. She didn't want her family to forget how she truly was, because she would miss them dearly and hope everyday that, somehow, she would meet them again in the future. The chances of seeing them again were almost nonexistent, but she definitely didn't want to leave them behind forever. Still, she had no choice. She'd rather leave and risk being forgotten, kidnapped, or murdered than live the rest of her days suffering in the eternal hell that was the oppression of DJ Octavio, with no escape and no hope of ever being freed.

"N-Never." Delphi said, trying to keep her voice from quavering. "You'll have to go over me first."

The Octoling in the center, the commander, smiled. "Gladly."

Without moving, the Octoling on the right pointed her charger at Delphi, who could only stare at the weapon and prepare to dodge. If she failed by a single second or a single inch, she would die instantly at worst and be in a great disadvantage at best. Her eyes glued to the charger, Delphi freezed, as her heart paralyzed and her body stopped responding. She whimpered, suddenly doubting what she was doing, realizing that her efforts were futile.

"N-No, wait! Please stop!" She cried. "Don't shoot!"

The Octoling stopped charging her weapon, but she continued to aim at Delphi, just in case. The commander gave Delphi a condescending look, the kind of glare that the higher-ups of the Octarian Army gave their subordinates when they were behaving as cowards. Chuckling, the commander opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by a long, high-pitched squeak coming from behind them. The three Octolings started, with barely any time to react, as one ran away, the other threw herself to the floor and covered her head with her hands, and the third one hid in her ink.

BOOM! A loud explosion came from behind them, sending drops of ink flying everywhere. The Octoling on the left, the one who had ducked, was wet with blue ink, shuddering in the floor. She had closed her eyes and was now sobbing, terrified. Delphi's heart pounded on her chest and her eyes darted to the place where the Splat Bomb had been placed. From a splash of ink, emerged another Octoling that Delphi instantly recognized. It was Leander, who was wearing a worn, gray jacket that was too big for him, tall soldier boots, and headphones, as well as sporting his usual mohawk.

"Delphi!" He yelled. "My girl isn't going to give up today!"

He dodged as the Octoling with the charger aimed at him, but Delphi, who couldn't help but smiling at seeing her sweetheart, had no time for distractions. With the Octo Shot, she pointed at the soldier that was down on the floor and breathed in deeply, holding her breath and trying to focus. She never thought it would come down to this. She never thought she would have to take down a defenseless Octoling who was weeping in the floor. She had never imagined that freedom would cost so much. But she shot anyways, taking advantage of her enemy's disadvantage, and the ink from her Octo Shot finished the soldier, making her vanish under mountains of color.

Delphi breathed out, but she couldn't mourn the enemy just yet. Leander was evading the Octoling with the charger, trying to stop her with Splat Bomb after Splat Bomb. He was not achieving anything much other than a few colored stains, but at the very least, he was managing to get away from her. Delphi charged towards the soldier, toppling her over before she could change her target, seized her right arm, and squeezed it against the floor, twisting her wrist. The charger clanged, while the Octoling cried out in pain, but she fought back with resilience. She punched Delphi in the stomach, making her groan, but the latter bit her lips and shot the Octoling before she could lose the upper-hand. A Splat Bomb that Leander threw towards the scene effectively finished the job. Two Octolings were down. If Delphi wasn't mistaken, there was one of them left.

Leander grabbed Delphi by shoulder and pointed at one of doors. "Over there!"

Delphi immediately shot at the door, stopping the Octoling from escaping. The commander turned around and frowned at Delphi, before pointing her own Octo Shot at her, but one of Leander's Splat Bombs fell in front of her and exploded before she could fire. The commander jerked, as the explosion yanked her weapon right out of her hands. The Octo Shot fell a few feet away from the group, spinning on the floor with a plastic-sounding noise, until it stopped at the other side of the dome. Being cornered by Leander and Delphi, left without her weapon, the commander had nowhere to run, so she desperately turned towards Delphi. She kneeled down and bent her head, closing her eyes in what could've been disappointment, regret, embarrassment, or dismay.

"You wouldn't strike down someone without a gun, correct?" She whispered. "You're not under anyone's orders. You're a rebel, so you follow your own moral code. You know killing your fellow soldiers isn't okay. I spared you a few seconds, which allowed your own life to be spared… Please, return to the Army. You worked very hard to be there; are you going to give all that up just like that? Many Octolings would give up anything to have what you had. Please, there's still a chance to stop… to stop this."

"Very nice act." Leander said, placing his arm around Delphi's shoulders. "It almost seems like you would make a fine rebel yourself."

The Octoling looked up, opening her teary eyes wide. She placed her palms together as if praying. "Please." She begged. "Don't betray us. I know you've been in the Army for many years, Delphine. My boss told me about it. You were always obedient… so now I ask you dearly… don't kill me."

Delphi winced, her Octo Shot nearly slipping away from her hands. Leander's touch reassured her, but she still didn't like this situation at all. "I wish we could have met under other circumstances." She said. "But… if I want us to succeed, I… I can't… I must…"

"We can't afford to spare you." Leander continued. "But what does it matter compared to the hundreds that your leader hasn't spared? Have you ever stopped to consider everything that DJ Octavio has taken away from us? You seem to have a lot of free will and self-awareness for someone who's still under the power of that tyrant, but we cannot afford to let you go. If you'd heard the Inkantation, this might've gone very differently, but, sadly, you still stand on the side of crime and evil."

"The… Inkantation?" The Octoling mumbled. "Haha…" She chuckled nervously. She took a long pause to breathe before laughing again, this time letting out a louder but equally sad laugh. "Hahaha… Hahah… So that is what this is about. That dreadful song, hahah… I should've imagined. That's all rebels talk about these days, don't they? Hah, and to think I ever doubted its existence. It's that… forsaken melody that brainwashes everyone who hears it…"

"The Inkantation never brainwashed anyone." Leander said. "In fact, the Inkantation freed us from DJ Octavio's brainwashing. That 'forsaken' melody saved Delphi and me from a lifetime of slavery and suffering! … But of course you wouldn't understand."

"Of course not… That song sure isn't saving my life now." The Octoling sniffed, almost as if about to cry. "Hah… Well, if you're going to do it, you better do it now. And please do it quick."

Delphi was panting, struggling to lock her aim on the commander. "I'm… I'm so, so s-sorry!" She said. Pulling the trigger, she closed her eyes until the splashes of ink and the groans of pain signalled that the job had been finished. She sighed as she saw an empty spot where the Octoling had been just seconds ago, turned towards Leander, and threw herself in his arms. Tears began streaming down her face, as she snuggled against Leander's chest. "T-this is so wrong, Leander! … W-why do I have to do this? Why?"

"Shh… It's alright, my girl." Leander said. He caressed Delphi's cheek with his fingers, softly pushing her away and smiling. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Delphi gazed into Leander's honey-colored eyes and sighed. She loved those calm, but lively eyes, that constantly darted from one place to another analyzing their surroundings. Along with his gentle smile, his confident eyes made her feel just a little bit better. She wiped her tears with the sleeves of her sweater, breathing in deeply, before looking away momentarily. Then, she grasped Leander's hand and squeezed it, longing for a bit more of that warmth that his touch always gave her.

"I'm… okay." She said. "But… what about them?"

Leander looked around as if he didn't know what Delphi was talking about. When he replied, he had a stern expression on his face. "We had to do it. You're a soldier, Delphi, you know how it is. It has always been a kill or get killed world out there, but especially it is now that we're trying to escape."

Delphi let in a breath that smelled of sweat, metal, and dense ink. As much as she loved Leander, he sure could be too close minded sometimes. "You don't get it, my love... I'm not a soldier anymore. The Octarian Army trained us to be killing machines, to splat Inklings and deserters as if they were the lowest of scum and they didn't deserve to be alive. But… after hearing the Inkantation, I realized that it wasn't like that. Leander, I… I was blind. I don't want to splat anyone… I don't want to kill anybody anymore. Even if I had the chance to destroy DJ Octavio and everything he stands for… I… I don't think I could kill him. I don't want revenge; I just want this to end! I'm SICK of this war! Why can't we live in peace? Why the brainwashing, the corruption, the torture, the kidnappings…? What did we do… What did we do to deserve this?!"

Letting out a piercing wail, Delphi dropped on her knees, her face sinking into her palms. Whining and whimpering, she sobbed carelessly, drowning in her feelings. Her hands got soaking wet with tears, while her chest went up and down fiercely, producing sounds that worried even herself. Even so, she didn't have the power to stop. Her Octo Shot fell to the ground, as she rubbed her face with her wrists and she maintained her sore eyes shut. However, a soft touch grazed both of her shoulders, as Leander placed one hand in each. He waited in silence until Delphi breathed in and out shakily and calmed down a bit.

"Delphi… I'll be completely honest." He said, briefly stroking her tentacles with his right hand. "I won't ever understand how you feel. Even though we're living through the same crisis, we both see it in very different ways. Heck, if I had DJ Octavio in front of me, I'd splat that bastard, no questions asked, even if I were sentencing myself to death! But, despite our differences, I also despise this war. War-this war-is pointless. It's stupid, it's unnecessary, and it's cruel, yes. But we still have a long way ahead of us, a long path towards peace, a difficult road that will only show us more and more hardships as we advance. We don't know what is waiting for us in the darkness. The war will get worse from now on, there will be stronger opponents… and moreover, we… we don't know if we'll make it. And that's the truth. But regardless or what may or may not happen, we need to keep pushing forward. Delphi, peace is waiting for us out there, my girl, but we need to find it. If we keep going, we'll find light at the end of the darkness. And we need to take the chance. It's now or never."

Leander tenderly grabbed Delphi's tense hands and intertwined his fingers with hers. He took them towards his lips and placed a kiss on the back of her hands. He closed his eyes and pressed her hands against his cheeks. "You have to believe, Delphi. Believe in what your heart tells you. That's what you taught me. Once this is all over, once we see the light at the end of the tunnel and reach the surface, we'll be free. We'll lead new, happy lives, away from the oppression and the suffering that we've lived throughout all of these years. Everything will finally be okay."

As her breathing steadied at last, Delphi managed to smile. She savored the feeling of warmth of Leander's hands, before making an effort to sit closer to him. Once she was by his side, she snuggled against his shoulder, putting one arm on his back. The floor was cold and uncomfortable, but being next to the one she loved made up for it. Being so close to him, she could smell a tinge of cologne that was absent from most Octolings more often than not. Delphi couldn't come up with a reason why Leander, who never cared too much about appearances, to bother wearing cologne on a deadly mission, but she still appreciated the detail.

"Thank you, Leander." She said, leaning her head against his shoulder. "But… what about everyone else? We can save ourselves, but… wouldn't that be selfish? Everyone else will just continue to suffer down here and… I don't want that."

He leaned forward, turning his head to face Delphi, and he kissed her forehead, before holding out his hands to caress her temples. He stared at her for a while, smiling as if admiring her. "Why, of course not. You're not being selfish. Yes, we might be leaving a lot of people behind by running away, but we wouldn't achieve anything if we stayed either. It's alright to look out for yourself when needed, you know that, right? No one will blame you for it. In fact, we can barely do anything in our current situation, so we must do something about it before thinking about what to do next. Once we get to the surface, we'll be free to do whatever we want. And then, you'll have the power to help others. If helping other oppressed Octolings in need is what you're worried about, we can always do what DJ Hyperfresh does."

Delphi perked up. Not much was known about DJ Hyperfresh and, to be honest, his or her existence piqued Delphi's curiosity. No one knew who DJ Hyperfresh was, but it was rumored that they lived in Octo Canyon, had heard the Inkantation, had successfully escaped to the surface, and they were now privately dedicating themselves to helping other Octolings escape. At first glance, DJ Hyperfresh seemed to be doing this out of selflessness, because they invested a lot of time and money to aid others, while gaining nothing in return, so you could assume that they had another source of income to support their activities. No one had seen or contacted DJ Hyperfresh directly, and it was dangerous to trust anyone, let alone someone you hadn't met in person, but there was no other way. DJ Hyperfresh was a great source of help. If the stories were true, dozens of Octolings had already left Octo Canyon thanks to DJ Hyperfresh's involvement. Delphi wanted to be like that someday, motivating Inklings and Octolings alike to do the right thing, to live at peace with each other, and to stand up for themselves.

"Well, yes… We can help everyone once we're safe, right? We haven't even met DJ Hyperfresh, yet they have done so much for us…"

"Exactly. I didn't trust them at first, but we wouldn't be here if it weren't because of them!" Leander laughed. "Heck, I knew that there was going to be a surprise attack because, according to my contact—the one who gave me the Splat Bombs—DJ Hyperfresh had hacked into Octarian files and noticed that we had been discovered. Honestly, it's hard to tell whether DJ Hyperfresh is an individual or a group… but I'm getting off track."

Leander fidgeted and stood up, before holding his hand out to Delphi. She took it without a second thought and Leander helped her up. "The bottom line is, we are going to make it. Everything will be fine. Tomorrow, a new sun will rise and our minds will be at ease. We'll enjoy the peace of the surface. You'll see. Everything will get better soon, I promise."

Delphi's cheeks heated up, likely reddening. She giggled, getting even closer to Leander, as she touched his neck with the tips of her fingers. He closed his eyes, enjoying the ticklish sensation.

"I love you, Leander." Delphi said. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, my girl." Before he could say anything else, Leander was silenced by a soft kiss that Delphi planted on his lips.

"Well, then, let's get going! We have to be there before sunrise!" She chirped, jumping towards one of the doors, but Leander snatched her hand and brought her close to him once again. He wrapped his arm around her waist and spoke tenderly.

"Wait a second, we're not done here yet, ma'am." He said, jokingly. "I need to talk to you about something."

"Yeah, what is it?"

Without letting Delphi go, Leander looked down for a moment, breathed in, and prepared himself. He sighed and he spoke in a serious, worrying tone of voice. "You know how hard it is for me to talk about my feelings, but… I have to let this out. … Does it bother you?"

Delphi leaned her head against Leander's, both trying to get comfortable and attempting to reassure him. "No, of course not, go ahead. I love it when you share your thoughts with me."

"Well then…" He said, reaffirming his grip around Delphi's waist, as if he didn't want to hurt her, but he didn't want her to run away either. "Remember what I said just now about… not knowing what'll happen and not knowing whether we'll make it out alive or not? Well… I'm afraid of what's coming. It's dangerous out there, Delphi, and I want you to be safe. I want us to reach the surface together."

Delphi blinked, stroking Leander's back softly. To think that Leander would ever show a sign of weakness… He opening up to her like this had become more and more frequent as their relationship progressed, but he still wasn't prone to emotional outbursts, being proud of his stoicism and his bravery. However, until now, Delphi had thought that the word 'fear' wasn't in his vocabulary. As much as she was worried for him, she felt honored that his trust on her allowed him to show his most vulnerable side in front of her. She looked deep into Leander's golden eyes, trying to let him know that she was interested and that he wouldn't be judged.

"I love you so much, Delphi, and I can never tell you enough." Leander said. "I know everything will be okay, but… I can't help but doubting it. And I know that's one of my flaws. Besides being cold and reserved and arrogant and inconsiderate… On top of that, I'm very pessimistic. But I want to think that everything will be fine. Even so, I can't help but fearing for our lives. And… If anything happens to me, Delphi, I just want you to remember that I love you and that I want you to be happy regardless of where am I or where you are, as a matter of fact. What we're going to do now is going to change our lives, for better or for worse, but… what's really important is that… I love you and I always will, for as long as I am free. Here or in the surface, oppressed or unchained, healthy or ill, I want to spend the rest of my life at your side. I know there's not much I can offer you now, but…"

Leader released Delphi, he got down on one knee, and his hand reached for something in his pocket. When his fist emerged, he turned it around and opened it slowly to reveal a little bronze-colored engagement ring. It was the most beautiful, shiniest, and loveliest ring Delphi had ever seen, and she had to repress an excited squeal in fear of being found by the enemy.

"... You'd make me the happiest Octoling on the planet if only you'd marry me."

Delphi gasped, her heart jumping inside her chest and her blood leaving her face in surprise. "Oh cod. Oh cod, oh cod, Leander! I can't believe this! You… you wouldn't! Oh cod. This isn't… This isn't the best moment… This isn't the best moment to do this! This isn't... Oh cod… " She panted.

"I know…" Leander said. "I got a very cheap ring, but I couldn't find any better-looking ones that were affordable… Don't worry, we'll do this all over again once we're in the surface, I promise. And I'll buy you a thousand rings if you only ask for them! But I'm rambling once again. What do you say? Will you give me the honor? If you say no... it's okay, I'm not a very good suitor. I don't have a single coin on me and I'm very flawed… I know that you deserve much better. But please don't leave me hanging. You're the only one I need."

"Wha-?" Delphi blurted out. "What're you going on about? Leander, you're the only one I want and I love you just the way you are!" She fell on her knees and wrapped her arms around Leander, squeezing him with all her strength. "I love you, oh, Leander, I love you so much and I'd marry you on the spot if I could. Oh cod, I wasn't expecting this. I love you."

After a while, Delphi pulled back and saw that Leander was grinning with the most gleeful smile he had ever worn. He laughed, carefully depositing the ring on Delphi's palm. "It's settled, then. We'll get married as soon as we get to the surface. Or, as soon as we save some money for the ceremony and stuff… Well, we're as good as married to me! Oh, you should save that in your pocket until we get out."

Delphi placed the ring deep inside her pocket, hoping that it wouldn't get lost in their journey. She smiled to Leander, the warmth of home filling her up inside, because she was now sure that, even if she left Octo Canyon, home would be with her as long as Leander accompanied her. She picked up the Octo Shot with one hand, held Leander's hand with the other, and the couple embarked in the adventure of their lives. They both knew that a lot of obstacles and risks would stand in the way of their new life, but they had each other for support. And as long as they had each other, they would go on until they accomplished the goal. After all, each of them was the light at the end of the tunnel for the other, the small sparkle of hope that they had in their bleak environments. Through thick and thin, they would always remain together, Delphi for Leander and Leander for Delphi, forever, wherever they were, till death did them part.

* * *

_**A/N:**_ _Yay! I finally published a fanfic that's not about Smash! Wow, I really need to start branching out._

_This fanfic was written for a Valentine's event in Amino Apps (Splatoon Amino, to be exact), so it was originally posted there. I don't know if I made it too long, if it had too much romance, or too little romance, so I'd greatly appreciate any constructive criticism! __Anyways, thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed :D_

_Note: The cover image was made by my sister, who goes by the screen name Xx le_kiwi xX in the Splatoon Amino._


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